🍵 Dressing Up & Slowing Down: Our Tokyo Tea Ceremony Experience

Hi! It’s Ciela for Jolly Jottings — and today I want to tell you about a really cool experience from our trip to Tokyo, Japan: the Japanese tea ceremony and kimono experience!

We had this special moment in May, and it was such a beautiful mix of tradition, quiet, and fun. Here’s what happened...

All Dressed Up in Beautiful Kimonos

👘 First: Time to Dress Up!

When we arrived, the women at the Maikoya tea house measured us to find just the right kimono sizes. There were so many beautiful colors and patterns to choose from — it was hard to pick just one! After we chose our kimonos, they helped us put them on carefully and tied the obi (that’s the sash) just right.

Then came the hair styling — you get to choose a hairstyle and even add a pretty flower clip or a sparkly hairpin. We felt so fancy and excited.

We also got to wear traditional Japanese kimono socks, and guess what? We got to keep them! (But not the slippers — we had to leave those behind!)

🍵 Then: The Tea Ceremony

After we were dressed, we walked into the tea room, which was calm, quiet, and very peaceful. A kind woman leading the tea ceremony taught us how to sit, bow, and hold the tea cup — all the special steps that make a Japanese tea ceremony so beautiful.

She didn’t just teach us how to make matcha (green tea) — she also told us about Japanese culture, traditions, and the meaning behind the movements. Everything was slow and graceful — it felt like we were part of something really special.

And yes, we got to drink the tea, too! It was warm and frothy and a little bit bitter (but in a good way). We even got a sweet treat to enjoy with it — a wagashi (Japanese confection) that balanced the flavor of the tea perfectly. That was my favorite taste!

📝 What We Jotted

We were so excited to write about this in our Jolly Jottings journal. Some of the prompts we used were:

• What did you learn about putting on the kimono?

• What surprised you about the tea ceremony?

• Draw a picture of your tea cup and the treat you had.

• How did the tea and treat taste?

Peeking Out at the Garden... But it Was Raining

💌 Your Turn!

If you’ve ever done a tea ceremony — in Japan or anywhere — we’d love to hear about it! Or if you’re planning to go, let us know what you're most excited about.

Drop us a comment or send a message — we love hearing your stories.

Arigatou gozaimasu! (Thank you very much!)

May your jottings be jolly.

-Ciela